Growing Up In The Greenwood
by weepingangel9578
Summary: A collection of short stories that look into the life of King Thranduil and his son, Prince Legolas. Moments spanning from the Prince's younger years, to the quest, and Legolas's eventual return home are included. Each essentially from the king's point of view. Non-graphic descriptions of violence in later chapters, along with two instances of character death throughout the story.
1. Chapter 1: Birth and Death

**Hello my dear readers! It has been quite a while has it not? Anyway, I am now back with this little collection of short glimpses into the life of Thranduil and Legolas. I am always open for suggestions if you guys have specific moments you want to see between father and son, just leave it in a review, or send me a PM. I hope that you all enjoy reading!**

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><p><em>Chapter 1: Birth and Death<em>

The wails of pain were his only warning.

Her white knuckled hands were alternating between gripping the sheets below and the round curve of her belly. Tears of near agony streamed down her cheeks as she tried to keep herself composed. The white nightgown she wore was slowly being stained a deep red as blood ran in rivulets down her thighs. Slowly the red blossom spread to the light green sheets, saturating the fabric. She turned her pale face and pained blue eyes to his panicked facade and deep green counterparts. She attempted a small smile before her elegant features crumpled as another wave of pain washed over her.

The next thing he knew, he was running…panting…crying. He gracelessly dodged elves in his halls—limbs flailing every which way—not stopping for anyone. Several guards tried to give him aid, asking desperately what was wrong, but his feet continued carrying him onwards. Finally he reached the healing ward, and without any of the decorum he was known for, he threw the door open. The healers inside whorled around at the sound of the door smashing against the wall, before bouncing back towards the frantic figure.

No words were exchanged, and in less than half a second, he was once again running through the halls, retracing his earlier steps. Although, this time a near army of healers were sprinting behind him. If the circumstances had been any different, the other elves might have laughed at the sight their regal king made. However, now was no such time for joviality…death was hanging heavy in the air of the Elvenking's halls.

She was arching off the bed as another contraction seized her when they finally entered the room. She turned desperate eyes to him and reached out her hand, three chilling words on her lips.

"Something is wrong."

Her voice seemed muted. The lyrical quality he so loved had been bled dry from her. His throat clogged uncomfortably as he made to close the distance between them, his outstretched hand brushing her own. Their fingers twined together, and he nearly sobbed when he felt the chill of her slender digits.

He held tighter to her, fearful she would slip away any moment. His heart froze solid in his chest when he realized how quickly that threat was closing in. He felt her squeeze back, but it was weak.

His greens studied her blues, searching for something he couldn't name.

He held her gaze the entire time, the voices of the healers slowly blending together into a singular hum.

Her strength was slowly fleeing her, both could feel it, yet neither could change it. Their shared pain over the inevitable rimmed their eyes with salt. Then suddenly, a wail other than her own pierced the air.

This one was younger, and never before heard by the world. It caused him to look up, breaking eye contact for a short moment. A bundle of blankets lay in the arms of a healer with dark auburn hair. He smiled sadly.

Then the king realized his mistake. He had taken his eyes from her face for one moment, and he had missed her. No longer could he see her blue eyes, the grip on his hand slackened, and she wouldn't respond to his calls. Her skin was a sickly pale color, her lips bloodless.

He was oblivious to the movements of the healers as they desperately worked to try and save their queen. All he could focus on was the face he had fallen in love with…laughed with…cried with. The wrinkles of pain that had creased her forehead moments before were now smooth. They had disappeared as quickly as she had.

He knew that his love was too far gone long before the healer placed a hand on his shoulder, her eyes downcast and sorrowful. He barely acknowledged her presence, opting for watching as the other healers covered her body with a clean white sheet, leaving only her face uncovered.

Quickly picking up on the king's need to be alone, the healer behind him beckoned the others away, leaving him the only one in the room.

The world had slowed down around him, his senses dulled, and he felt a cold numbness spreading from his heart to the rest of his body. Time seemed to lose all meaning as he continued to watch her, praying that against all odds she would open her eyes and reveal that she had only been asleep.

He had no idea how long he had been sitting there when a gentle cooing broke through his imposed barriers. At first he didn't dare move. He wouldn't have put it past his mind to have conjured the sound from thin air, but then it sounded again, this time a little more desperate.

Something akin to a warning light went off in his mind, pushing through his near catatonic state, and forced him to his feet. Immediately his joints and muscles protested, and dizziness settled firmly on his head. He had been sitting in the same position for nearly six hours. However, when the cooing turned to gentle sniffles, signaling the beginning of tears, he forced his feet to move and he raised his eyes.

He was greeted with the sight of the same healer from before, something wrapped snugly in a blanket settled in her arms. She looked up at him with a mixture of sadness and surprise, yet she made no comment as he shakily approached her.

Soon he was standing before her, looking down at the bundle in her arms intently. She smiled when she saw affection seep into his eyes. She held out the bundle in a silent gesture for him to accept the small gift into his own embrace. He glanced up at her with cautious eyes, but she continued to try and get him to accept.

"I'm sorry my King, but I thought that you might like to hold your son."

At this he gently scooped up the small figure with wide eyes.

"My son…" he mumbled gently as he gazed down on the precious bundle in his arms. As if realizing he was being held by a parent, the newborn child opened his innocent and expressive blue eyes—making the king's heart shatter, for they were just like _hers_—and gave a small gurgling noise accompanied by a small, toothless, smile.

A gentle smile crept onto the face of the king as well, and without realizing it, tears began to drip down his cheeks.

"My son" he repeated once again, firmer this time. He reached out a finger and softly brushed it along the child's downy cheek. The digit was immediately grasped by a tiny hand as the newborn slipped into the embrace of sleep.

"My King Thranduil…"

He looked up at the healer with short lived surprise, for he had completely forgotten that she was still in the room. She watched him with a gentle concern, which did not waver even as she placed a hand on his forearm, slowly leading him away from the room. After all, the death of the queen still hung heavy in the air. It was a fairly bold touch, but considering the circumstances, neither party really cared about it.

Ever so slowly the king allowed himself to be led away, his son held firm in his arms. In fact, the king was so absorbed in the innocent face of his child, he wasn't aware of the guards that walked past him to deal with the body of the queen.

"Have you decided on a name for him my King?"

The healer's tone made it clear that she was trying to distract him as they moved down the hall. However, the king didn't show any sign of realizing it when he answered her question after a moment of thought.

"No, we hadn't thought much on it." His voice was shaky as he approached the next sentence. "The queen and I were planning on choosing a name after the birth, once we had met our child."

Grief bubbled up in his throat, choking him, at the mention of his wife. The healer caught it quickly however, and continued talking in hopes of keeping Thranduil occupied.

"Well, he is quite a sweet child, if that helps with your decision. He has barely made a fuss the past six hours. All the maids have already fallen in love with him."

Thranduil smiled at this before he froze. "Six hours…" he said quietly under his breath. He glanced at the child in his arms. Tightening his hold ever so slightly, he leaned down, pressing a kiss to the young one's forehead, and muttered a quiet apology. When he straightened, he saw that the healer was waiting for him a few steps ahead. She smiled at him as he hurried slightly to catch up.

"Come my king."

She turned and directed Thranduil towards a room on the left. It was only then that the king realized they had entered the healing wing. He barely remembered the walk here…

He was ushered into the room, and after briefly glancing around, he settled himself heavily on the bed.

He was vaguely aware that the healer was closing the door, telling him to call if he needed anything, but he was much more focused on his son.

The child was still soundly asleep, his small chest rising and falling gently. The small motion drew Thranduil in, nearly hypnotizing him in his state. He continued to sit for a while longer before his eye lids started to drift closed. Despite the fact that he had hardly moved for the past day, he was exhausted.

He pushed himself up, and walked over to the temporary crib set up near the bed, and reluctantly released his son. It tore at him to let go of the young child, but he knew that he must if he were to get any sleep this night. However, he doubted that sleep would be easy to come by this night regardless. He watched as the child twitched slightly in his sleep, before relaxing in the mass of blankets in the crib.

Slowly, he backed away from the sleeping child, and moved back towards the bed. However, before he could settle in, a gust of wind filled the room through the open balcony doors. Normally Thranduil wouldn't have minded the breeze, but he worried how the chill would impact his child, so he decided it would be best to shut out the fresh air for now.

However, right before he could close the door, his eyes caught sight of a nearby tree. Just looking at it pulled grievously at his heart. It was _her_ tree. He had planted it for her when they had first met, and the two had spent many an hour under its boughs. He watched as the branches of green leaves swayed to and fro, their gentle movement reminding him greatly of her calming nature.

It was then he was struck with an idea. He smiled softly as he closed the balcony doors, once again entering his temporary dwelling. He meandered over to the crib, reaching out to once again stroke the child's cheek.

"I think we have found you a name young one. How does Legolas sound? My sweet Greenleaf."

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><p><strong>I hope that you guys like this story so far, there will be more of it throughout the next few weeks!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2: Nightmare

**Hey guys, so I started doing this with another one of my stories, and I really liked it, so at the beginning of each chapter I am going to post responses to the reviews from the last chapter.**

**Guest: **Thanks, I'm really glad that you like everything so far, and hopefully you enjoy the rest just as much! (Unfortunately I don't know any Portuguese, so I hope it is okay if I type this in English)

**Guest: **Great! I was hoping that the death didn't overshadow the cuteness too much. Thanks for reading!

**Arwen2001: **Thanks! I really wanted to do something of the more fluffy nature, considering the last few things I have written are all death, dark, and gloom. As for your idea, I am way ahead of you! I was planning on doing a chapter similar to what you described, so worry not! Please enjoy!

**3326freespirit: **Thank you so much! I'm glad that I've gotten you excited for the rest. I hope you enjoy this latest chapter!

**1356-2478 (Guest): **That is so sweet of you to say! It makes me truly happy to hear you say that. As for your concern, you have nothing to worry about. Trust me, I don't want my interpretation of either character to fall to such extremes. However I will warn you that there are probably going to be a few moments that are more cute and fluffy than anything else. I will try my best not to overdo it though. Shouldn't be too hard considering that basically everything else I write is dark and depressing…

**Brightpath2: **Thanks, that was what I was hoping for!

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><p><em>Chapter 2: Nightmares<em>

It had been a long day, scratch that…long couldn't begin to describe the day that King Thranduil had just dealt with. The day had consisted of him bouncing around the palace. From his office, to the council room, to the dining hall he had been followed and hounded by a seemingly endless crowd of advisors, warriors, and guards all vying for his attention. Each one had what was apparently an urgent matter, and as the King had predicted, less than half of them needed his attention in general, and an even smaller amount needed to be dealt with immediately.

However, Thranduil was a patient king, and had taken the time to listen to each of his citizens' worries. They had all thanked him generously afterwards, but their constant hounding had still taken almost all of his already lacking free time. Therefore making it impossible for the king to take any resemblance of a break and spend some time with his young elfling.

It had been seven years since Legolas's birth, and the child had been nothing less than a blessing to the king. He was kind to a fault, and filled to the brim with contagious happiness and energy. Legolas was quite possibly the only thing that had kept the king up and running after his queen had perished. Thranduil had also vowed to himself early on that he would not allow his son to get lost in the chaos that his position caused. He refused to allow his role as a king overshadow his role as father.

He normally put aside a decent amount of time each day, which he would use spending time with Legolas. Sometimes it was a picnic, storytelling, or simply sitting with the boy in the gardens listening to his elfling report everything he had done recently. Regardless of what they were doing, the king made sure that Legolas knew his parent cared for him deeply.

That was exactly why Thranduil was currently quite frustrated. In the hustle and bustle of the day he had completely disregarded his time with Legolas. He hadn't even glimpsed his elfling during the brief periods he had been in the dining hall. He wanted nothing more than to run to Legolas' room, but he decided against it knowing that his son would have be put to bed long ago. However, the idea of sneaking in regardless was awfully tempting. At least then he would be able to see his elfling…and yet the thought of interrupting the child's much needed rest deterred him.

A tired sigh left his lips as Thranduil passed a weary hand over his face. His green eyes darted over towards the large bed in the room—looking awfully enticing he might add—before returning to the mound of paperwork still remaining in front of him. The king sent the stack of papers a scathing glare accompanied by a small growl, and then chose his bed seeing as it didn't make him want to bang his head against a wall.

He sluggishly moved about the room, putting on night clothes, retiring his crown, and extinguishing candles, before slipping under the cool sheets and light blanket. A contented groan left the king as he felt his aching joints rejoice at his recumbent pose.

Thranduil yawned quietly, blinking a few times. He was just about to pass into a greatly welcomed reverie, his eyes glazing over in elvish sleep, when…

"Ada?" (father)

The king might have yelled if it wasn't for the fact that he instantly recognized the childish voice, and the slight tremor it held. He sighed once more as he heard the door creak open a little farther, and pushed himself into a sitting position. His green eyes sharpened and he smiled when he saw the small form of his son peeking through the doorway. However, his smiled melted into a frown when he saw the tears on Legolas' cheeks. Reaching out a hand, Thranduil called to his son.

"Tithen-lass, mani naa neitha?" (Little leaf, what is wrong?)

Immediately tiny feet pattered over to the bed, and the elfling flung himself onto the bed. The child burrowed against Thranduil's much larger chest, and pressed his face right above the steady, and comforting, pulse of his father's heart.

Worried by the display, the king placed a hand on Legolas' back and stared moving his hand in soothing circles. He could feel that Legolas was trembling lightly, so he wrapped his other arm around the much smaller body in his lap, and gave his son a gentle squeeze.

"Legolas…" The call was gentle, and unsuccessful in drawing the child away from his hiding place. The king sighed, and moved the hand on Legolas' back upwards until he could card it through his son's silvery locks.

"Ion-nin, please tell me what has upset you so." (my son)

The reply was muffled against his chest, so Thranduil could barely make out what was said. Ever so gently, Thranduil hooked a finger under the younger's chin and smiled softly when he could finally see Legolas' face, despite the fact that his cheeks were wet with tears, and the boy was sniffling.

"I couldn't quite hear that Legolas. What did you say?"

This time the prince settled for leaning his back against his father's chest as Thranduil continued to soothe him with the repetitive movement of a hand brushing through his hair. The child took a deep breath before murmuring a response.

"I had a nightmare ada. It was really scary." (father)

At this, the king nodded thoughtfully and was about to say something when Legolas interrupted him by continuing.

"I got lost in the forest and I couldn't find you anywhere. There were spiders, and other monsters everywhere and I didn't know what to do. I was so scared and I was calling for you, but you couldn't hear me. The spiders were about to eat me when I woke up, and I didn't want to be by myself so I came to you."

By now the elfling's tears and sniffling had started once again, so Thranduil tightened his hold around Legolas' form.

He leaned down to place a chaste kiss to the crown of Legolas' blonde head.

He then began murmuring comforting words into one of the elfling's leaf shaped ears, and continued to do so until his son's trembling had ceased. Mere seconds later the king felt a much smaller hand grasping his own. He smiled softly down at the young elf in his arms. When he spoke his voice was nothing but soothing.

"Do not fear ion-nin, I am here, and I am not going to let anything hurt you. Know that I will always come should you call, and I will protect you from whatever monsters might be near." (my son)

Looking down, Thranduil smiled seeing that Legolas was watching him avidly. The king brushed a finger over the boy's cheek, wiping away tears that still clung to his downy skin.

"No matter where you are, whether it be in my arms, or half way across middle earth, I will always be looking after you. All you need to do—" Thranduil spoke as he picked Legolas up, cradling the elfling to his chest, and walked over to the doors of the balcony. He pushed them open, stepping out into the fresh night air, and pointed to the stars far above their heads before continuing. "—is look up at the stars, and know that I am looking at them as well, sending you my strength, and my love."

"I love you ada." (father)

The king grinned at this, looking down at his son's trusting blue eyes, before carrying him back to the bed.

"I love you too Legolas-nin." (my Legolas/Greenleaf)

Thranduil gave the child another kiss on his forehead as he settled the two of them down under the covers. Legolas immediately curled up at his side, resting his golden head on Thranduil's chest.

It took less than five minutes for the elfling to be sound asleep, with the king quickly following his lead.

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><p><strong>Hope you liked this one guys! Fun fact the little speech that Thranduil gave is actually pretty close to the same thing that my dad would tell me when I had nightmares as a kid. Please review! <strong>


	3. Chapter 3: Love at First Sight

**Hey guys, so I am currently on a vacation with the family for winter break, so I don't know when if I will be able to post anything after this one until New Year's. Other than that, I am going to try and keep up the schedule of updating every other day or so, but I am making no promises. Anyway, I wish y'all a very happy holidays!**

**Oh and for a brief reference point, this chapter is happening a couple of years before Legolas reaches his majority. So basically, Legolas is in his teenage years.**

**Guest: **Great! I'm so glad. Hopefully this chapter is satisfying.

**Guest 2: **Thank you. I like to think that my characters are at least somewhat accurate. I promise you, I will definitely continue writing! I don't think I could stop if I wanted to. As for your concerns, like you, I don't speak elvish (although I have picked up a few phrases from the movies and what not…) so I just got the words from a Sindarian dictionary online. I don't know if they are correct or not…

**HassleCastle: **Agreed. This sounds really hypocritical considering that basically everything I write involves Legolas dying, or being tortured, or god knows what else, but there are not enough adorable child Legolas stories out there.

**Legoelf: **Hahaha, great description. I guess that "floofy and warm and snuggly" was the general goal.

**Arwen2001: **Yay! That is so good to hear. I'm really glad that you enjoyed it so much. I know what you mean…as I said Thranduil's speech is based off of something my own dad used to tell me. I hope it is as good as SNE as well, but unfortunately I don't think it is going to be as long. So far I have 14 chapters planned, but that might change if I don't like one later on down the road, or if I get suggestions from you guys. I shall try and update as quickly as possible, I promise.

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><p><em>Chapter 3: Love at First Sight<em>

The dining hall of Thranduil's caves was reasonably empty, seeing as it was still what could be considered an early time to break one's fast. None the less, the room was filled with pleasant conversation, and the wonderful smells of a freshly cooked meal.

The room was simply decorated, and constructed more for practicality than anything else. After all, the hall did need to fit the majority of Mirkwood's population when meals and gatherings were held. To do so, long and narrow tables were placed in the hall, with the royal family sitting at a smaller table at the head of the room.

Currently, one of the tables held a group of guards and soldiers joking over a quick snack before they headed out for patrol or duty inside the castle, while a group of councilors sat huddled together at the other end, discussing whatever issue had them in a tizzy today.

At one of the adjacent tables sat a larger group of healers, craftsmen, and other random citizens. Some held polite conversation with the elves next to them, while others settled for peacefully enjoying their meals in silence, or with the company of a good book.

Other tables had scattered residents, and most of those elves looked as though they really wished they were still peacefully asleep in their beds.

Thranduil sympathized with them, for he felt similarly. He was currently trying to drag out his meal for as long as physically possible, for he knew that the moment he was finished his advisors would pounce on him, dragging him to the council room.

Picking up a piece of bread, the king spied a dish of jam on the other side of his son, who was gazing off into space with a dreamy expression on his face.

Thranduil brushed off his son's odd expression, and politely asked for the desired dish.

"Legolas, could you please pass me the jam?"

Instead of responding, or fulfilling the request, Legolas simply continued staring ahead, his chin resting on his hand. Raising an eyebrow at his son, the king gently tapped Legolas' shoulder.

Nothing. Not even a blink. Chuckling quietly, and rolling his eyes, Thranduil called out again.

"Legolas…" When there was no response he raised his voice a little. "Legolas!"

Finally hearing his name, the Prince jumped in his seat and glanced around quickly, trying to figure out what he had been asked, much to his father's amusement. Legolas turned blue eyes to his father's smirking face, realizing it had been him calling.

"What did you say ada?" (father)

Thranduil chuckled and pointed to the jam on Legolas' left.

"Could you hand me the jam please?"

Quickly sliding over the dish, Legolas once again placed his chin on his hand, and heaved a sigh. He was about to slip back into his thoughts, when his father's voice startled him all over again.

"What is her name?"

At this Legolas blushed crimson and started sputtering indignantly.

"What?! I-I don't….I don't know what you're t-talking about ada…" (father)

Thranduil merely laughed, while keeping his mirthful eyes firmly on his piece of bread.

"Come now ion-nin, I may be old, but I was young once. That means I can recognize a love-struck expression when I see it. Which also explain why you have barely touched your food and why I practically had to shout to get your attention." (my son)

If possible, Legolas' cheeks turned an even more vibrant red, and he quickly stumbled to his feet.

"As I said before, I have no idea what you are talking about."

He then quickly dipped his head in respect for his father, and king, before promptly fleeing from the room. Many of the others watched him leave the hall with confusion due to their prince's flaming cheeks, and the image of their king trying—and failing—to keep mirthful snickers at bay.

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><p>Sometimes King Thranduil hated being right. The last forty minutes of his morning had been spent listening to his advisors argue with each other over pointless politics.<p>

He was a firm believer that the only reason the members of his council had gotten into politics in the first place was so they would have an excuse to argue night and day!

After the 'issue' had finally been settled, Tranduil had slipped away, and quite literally locked himself in his chambers. Even kings need a little personal time, and Mirkwood's monarch was currently spending his relaxing on his balcony, a glass of wine in hand.

Greatly enjoying his peace, Thranduil swirled the wine around in his glass briefly, before taking another sip. He was about to step back inside, when something caught his eye in the garden below. A smirk quickly found its way onto his lips as Thranduil watched his son follow a young elleth around. Legolas' hands were clasped behind his back, and he was listening to her every word with rapt attention.

To the king it was a laughably adorable sight.

After getting his fill of his son's rather entertaining expression, he turned his eyes to the young girl. He vaguely remembered seeing her with Legolas and some of his other friends after an archery practice, but he couldn't be sure. One thing he did know was that it was easy to see why Legolas had fallen so head over heels for her.

Her hair was a deep auburn tinted with vibrant red, her skin was flawless and milky, and her eyes were very similar to Legolas' own, a rich blue. She was quite beautiful, and seemed to have an equally wonderful personality. She was chatting away animatedly, her hands waving back and worth.

He continued to watch with amused affection as Legolas responded to one of her comments with his now well-known wit, and a laugh bubbled up from her lips. He couldn't help but chuckle when he saw Legolas' face light up in what could be called nothing less than pure delight, knowing he was responsible for such a reaction.

However, his amusement turned to shock when the young girl brazenly leaned forward and brushed Legolas' cheek in a chaste kiss.

Thranduil nearly doubled over, howling with laughter, when he saw his son's expression.

At first his son had looked absolutely petrified, but then Legolas' eyes had widened to the size of dinner plates, and what was quite possibly the goofiest grin Thranduil had ever seen spread across his face. Thranduil continued to watch as Legolas unclasped his hands from behind his back and reached down to shyly take one of her hands in his. The elleth looked at their joined hands for a moment before a rosy tint spread over her cheeks. Although, the smile on her face made it very clear that she wasn't anything less than pleased.

Maybe things between the two were more serious than Thranduil realized…Regardless, the king found their blooming relationship nothing but endearing, and viewed it as something to be nurtured. However, that certainly didn't mean that he was going to waste the opportunity to tease his son.

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><p>It wasn't until later that evening that Thranduil found himself in Legolas' company once again. The young prince had missed the mid-day meal. <em>No doubt choosing to spend his time with his sweetheart instead, <em>thought Thranduil with a smile.

He and Legolas were sitting in the same spots they had occupied that morning, although now, the king watched his son instead of his meal. If Legolas had noticed his father's close observation, he gave no notice of it.

The ellon's attention was firmly fixed on a head of auburn curls two tables over. He smiled hugely when said head turned, and he made eye contact with its owner. His smile was shyly returned, and accompanied by a small wave. The prince felt his heart rate speed up, and he returned the wave with what was probably an unnecessary amount of enthusiasm.

Having watched the exchange, Thranduil couldn't help but think how sweet the whole thing was. Legolas reminded him very much of himself when he had been trying to court his late queen.

A pang of sadness crept into his heart at the mere thought of her, but the king refused to allow such grief to mar the happiness of his son's first romance.

It was at that moment that Legolas glanced over, and realized that his father had been watching him the whole time. Suddenly, a very sheepish look came across his facial features, but Thranduil merely smiled.

"She is very pretty ion-nin" (my son

Legolas cast his eyes towards the young girl, and immediately they filled with affection and admiration.

"I know", he stated dreamily.

Thranduil shook his head at Legolas' response, before a mischievous glint filled his eyes. He leaned towards Legolas a little, drawing in the prince's attention. He then pulled the most serious expression he could as he spoke.

"There is however, one very important thing you need to know."

The prince turned in his chair, watching his father carefully, trying to judge what was coming next. To say he was surprised when Thranduil smiled and continued was an understatement.

"Next time a girl kisses you, try not to look so petrified."

For the second time that day, the citizens of Mirkwood watched their prince hurriedly depart the dining hall, cheeks burning, with his father's laughter echoing behind him.

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><p><strong>Have a great holiday my dear readers!<strong>

**(Just for clarification, elleth = female elf; ellon = male elf.)**


	4. Chapter 4: A New Position

**Alrighty, sorry for the delay, but as I said I just recently returned from a family vacation. Please enjoy, and while it is a little late, happy New Year everybody! **

**Oh, and a quick side note, italics=flashback.**

**Schttenjagd: **Thank you! I appreciate that a lot! Last time we were in contact you said you were writing a story, how's that going?

**Guest: **Muito obrigado! Isso é realmente doce de você para dizer. Fico feliz que você está gostando da minha escrita, e eu espero que você gosta deste capítulo, assim como muito! Além disso, eu descobri um do meu amigo fala Português, daí a mudança na língua!

**Wenduo: **Yeah, but every father deserves a moment or two to tease their children, even Elvenkings. I'm glad you enjoyed my attempt at humor. I hope you had a happy holidays as well!

**HelloDenmark: **Thanks! That means a lot coming from a role model such as yourself! Also, I didn't get a chance to review your last two chapters of _War of Light and Darkness_, so I just wanted to say that I loved them both! Especially the last bit from Alfirin's flashback to when he first meets Legolas, and they are talking about the different leaves/different languages. I thought the last two or three lines about 'big leaf' and 'little leaf' were so amazing!

**Elizabeth5467: **That is so sweet! I'm really glad you like it so much! No, I wasn't writing it as Tauriel, but instead about the character I created to be Legolas' wife in my stories _What Do You Know About Love, _and _Meet the Family._ In those stories I mentioned that the two were childhood friends, so I thought it would be fitting to write her in.

**Legoelf:** Thank you! I was hoping for some adorableness! I was trying to write Legolas as like an awkward teenager, so I guess adorkable is appropriate. I hope you had a good holiday!

**Arwen2001:** Why thank you! I couldn't help myself from throwing a chapter like this in. Like you said, who doesn't love seeing fathers embarrass their children, especially about love? Um, possibly…but I'm not sure if I have a place for the twins yet…well, when I was writing the story I was actually thinking about the character I created to be Legolas' wife in my stories _What Do You Know About Love, _and _Meet the Family._ I thought it would be a good opportunity to write her in because in my previous stories I wrote that she and Legolas were childhood friends. I hope you had a happy holidays as well!

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><p><em>Chapter 4: A New Position<em>

Never before in his rather long life, had King Thranduil been so worried. His green eyes ruthlessly scanned the tree line at the gates of Mirkwood, hoping beyond all hope that he would see his son's battalion return, with Legolas still safely at the lead. Nearly two weeks ago his son set out as a newly promoted captain of one of Mirkwood's many patrols.

The young prince—who had only passed his majority the year earlier—had been out on many a patrol during his short life, seeing as he was not only a leader to his people, but also for the sickening reason that the recruiting age for warriors in Mirkwood had been lowered in recent years. As much as Thranduil hated sending out elves so young, it was necessary for it to be done in order to keep Mirkwood safe. The demand for soldiers had simply begun to increase over the past few years, and it didn't look like that was about to change anytime soon.

Normally, the king could trust that Legolas would be in a little less danger while patrolling the forest, since he would be under the reliable command of his son's captain. However, this time it would be Legolas in charge.

His worry did not stem from doubt that Legolas could successfully lead a patrol on his own...it was quite the opposite in fact.

His son had grown into an admirable warrior with an equally admirable heart. He put his people first, as any good ruler should do, but in the circumstances of conflict, the king knew that this opened Legolas up to a self-sacrificing attitude. Thranduil had no doubts what so ever that should it come down to it, Legolas would give his life before he let any of his soldiers give their own.

Thinking on his son's compassion caused a small smile to break through the king's melancholy, for his thoughts quickly traveled back to three weeks earlier, when Legolas had received the news of his new position.

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><p><em>King Thranduil watched from the entrance to the training grounds, an amused smirk on his lips, as his son and the other warriors finished their training for the day. <em>

_He could easily locate his son in the crowd, for Legolas stuck out from the others. Form his physical appearance, for he had inherited his father's platinum blonde locks, while the other elves had hair of varying shades of brown, to the fact that __compared to the other soldiers, Legolas was a mere babe, for the closest elf to the prince's age was still several centuries older. However, that certainly hadn't lowered the amount of respect the warriors had for their young prince. Already, even at such a young age, Legolas was succeeding spectacularly in the arts of battle._

_In fact, it was such talents that had prompted the king to begin making it a habit of watching Legolas train. Ever since he had been approached by Legolas' captain, Súrion, and the commander of Mirkwood's defenses, Arminas, he had been sneaking out to the training field __whenever he could. _

_After all, the two soldiers had come to him after a meeting several weeks ago wishing to discuss the young prince's progress, and the discussion had culminated when the two expressed their desire to move Legolas up to the rank of captain of his own patrol. They had come asking because of Legolas' age, and that fact that it was customary for the king to sign off on any sort of change in the military. Not to mention that this was also the king's son they were discussing._

_At first Thranduil had been reluctant, seeing as his son was still so young, but he had decided that he wouldn't always be able to protect Legolas regardless of his son's position, and therefore should give the subject more thought. In the end he had stated that he would study Legolas' skills himself and then make his final decision. _

_Of course the prince had been oblivious as to why his father had begun watching his training sessions, but he certainly didn't complain. The young elf relished any extra time he could spend with his father. It also boosted his confidence each time he saw the pride in Thranduil's eyes swell when he executed a command to near perfection, or was given praise from his instructors. _

_It was those high praises and exhibits of skill that had made up Thranduil's mind over the past weeks of observation. He could see that both of Legolas' superiors were indeed right that his son was ready for such an advancement in position. __Therefore, the king had given the okay to tell his son, and today was the day. This was the reason for Thranduil's secretive surveillance, for there was no way he was going to miss such a moment of importance in his son's life._

"_That is all for today, but I would like all of you to stay for a very important announcement."_

_The voice of Súrion drew Thranduil from his musings. The king looked up to see that the soldiers had all gathered before Súrion on the grass. Most were sitting down, tired from hours of training, but a few remained standing. _

_The king watched as Súrion smiled and continued._

"_Thank you. Now, as you know, we have recently found it necessary to increase the number of patrols being sent out. Therefore, we have found ourselves in need of new captains to lead said groups."_

_This caught the attention of many of the soldiers, who had only been partially listening to their captain's announcement. They all sat a little straighter and gave the leading elf their undivided attention. Sensing the change in his soldiers' attitudes, Súrion's smile grew. _

"_This means that over the past few weeks we have been watching you all quite intently, along with the other patrols. Once we had selected the top few from each group, myself along with the other captains met with Arminas, and we narrowed it down to the three elves we felt were best suited for the position, and I can now happily say that one of those three elves is a member of our patrol."_

_Súrion paused as he let that news set it. Many of the soldiers' eyes widened significantly, and some began to whisper among themselves trying to decide who had been selected as their captain continued._

"_This person has shown exemplary discipline, humility, a spectacular promise in general skill, an eagerness to achieve success, an apt strategic mind, and a great compassion for the well-being of those around him. I think that you all will agree with our choice of such a person, and I will expect nothing less than your support of him in his new position. Not that I believe any of you would be less than kind regardless. Now, would you like to know the identity of this person?"_

_After a strong chorus of affirmatives, Súrion put his hand up signaling silence, as he turned to the youngest member of the group._

"_Legolas, or should I say captain, would you please come up here and accept your new position?"_

_There was a split second of stunned silence before the others warriors practically leapt at Legolas and hefted him into the air via several shoulders. All were cheering loudly for their prince, for despite the fact some had been hoping for the position themselves, they were all more than excited for Legolas. _

_As he watched the celebration Súrion had an amused expression on his face, before he briefly flicked his gaze over to where he knew Thranduil to be watching, and slightly dipped his head in greeting. The king caught the gesture and returned it with a smile of his own as he continued to watch the other soldiers congratulate Legolas, some of the prince's closer friends with a little too much exuberance than was really necessary. _

"_Alright, that's enough. Put him down before you accidentally drop him, or worse."_

_At Súrion's jesting command, the group gently released Legolas from their various embraces and allowed to prince to walk up to Súrion. It was only then that the group realized the prince hadn't yet spoken a word. He wore an expression of absolute shock, and to be honest he looked quite petrified. _

_Recognizing that that the elf was obviously quite overwhelmed, Súrion placed a comforting hand on Legolas' shoulder and smiled kindly at him. _

"_Legolas, are you not happy with this?"_

_At that, the prince adamantly shook his head and the beginnings of a smile quirked the corners of his lips upwards. _

"_No! I just…this isn't a jest or something? You really think I can do this?"_

_Súrion snorted at the prince's skepticism, and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. _

"_I promise you Legolas, this is no jest. It is my personal opinion, along with Arminas and your father that you are quite ready to take on this position, and that you will succeed."_

_Legolas' smile stretched until it was genuine, and he clasped Súrion's shoulder in return._

"_Hannon lle muin mellon-nin. Llye tolog ind beika an amin." (Thank you my dear friend. Your respect means much to me.)_

_At the confession, Súrion grinned. "Sui lye uma an amin…nikerym." (As yours does to me…captain.)_

_The new title made Legolas smile, and when his fellow soldiers cheered at the term, the prince colored slightly. _

_However, despite his humble acceptance of the title, anyone could see that there was a new-found confidence and pride in the way Legolas carried himself from that moment on._

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><p>It was at that moment the sound of rapid shouting in the courtyard below startled Thranduil out of his thoughts. Immediately his feet were carrying him out of his office and through the halls, for the commotion had been started by the much awaited arrival of one group of soldiers.<p>

As soon as the king burst into the courtyard, cheeks flushed from exertion, his eyes darted from person to person desperate to see one blonde haired soldier.

He felt all air leave him in relief when the group finally passed through the main gates, with Legolas in the lead. However, his relief vanished in the next second when he realized that one, none of the elves returning had the mounts they had left with, two, Legolas and another soldier were supporting a third between the two of them, who looked like he was barely conscious, and three, another two elves behind Legolas were being carried by their healthier counterparts.

Before he knew it, Thranduil was running out towards his son along with a crowd of healers and other passers-by who wished to help. He watched as someone took the elf Legolas had been supporting, and his son seemed to nearly collapse. When the prince looked up and saw him he choked out a pitiful 'ada' (father), and throwing all decorum to the wind, Thranduil pulled him into a tight embrace.

The two royals remained oblivious to the chaos around them as a father held his trembling son.

It was in this position Thranduil would have liked to stay for much longer, but suddenly Legolas pushed him away. He looked to his son in surprise and sucked in a breath when he saw the blood on Legolas' temple, the gash on his cheek, and the bloodied rag tied around his arm. However, what really grabbed the king's attention was the guilt swimming in his son's eyes.

"Please forgive me erain-nin, but I must see to my soldiers. I shall come and find you later to give a report." (my king)

With that Legolas bowed to his king and hurried after the healers and soldiers who had already entered the halls, leaving his bewildered and worried father to stand alone.

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><p><strong>Okay, so I know that I didn't really resolve what is going on with Legolas, but that is because the next chapter takes place right after this one, and will therefore explain everything away. <strong>


	5. Chapter 5: Guilt

**Sorry that it has been so long guys, I've been pretty busy considering that school has started up again. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and forgive me for my less than regular updating schedule. Again, italics are flashbacks in this chapter.**

**3326freespirit: **Sorry I've kept you waiting, but I am really glad that you are so excited for the continuation of this story! I feel you my friend…I mean I would be a hypocrite if I said otherwise considering the chapter below, and like every other LotR story I have written.

**HelloDenmark: **I love your story and you left us on such a huge cliff-hanger! Not Elladan! Anyway, I agree with you on the fact that I probably should have lengthened the chapter, but I didn't because of a few things. One being major time restrictions on how much I have available to typing, and two because I knew what I wanted the premise of this chapter to be, and I thought it would be cool to connect the two of them.

**Schattenjagd: **I'm glad, and I definitely understand what you mean about reviews and what not. Hopefully I will be able to read through what you've written and leave you some reviews Thanks a lot, and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

**Arwen2001: **Hahaha, yay! It certainly make me happy to hear 'honestly awesome'! I mean being a prince and all he has to keep up appearances. That was what I was going for with her character, and I'm glad it translated through. Never would I do such thing! I will be typing till the day I die! Okay maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea…

**Legoelf: **Wonderful! I mean everyone needs a set of good old wacky friends right?

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><p><em>Chapter 5: Guilt <em>

Thranduil gazed at the door of his son's room with sorrow and trepidation. He knew that his son was inside, and was probably in need of some familial support. However, he wasn't entirely sure that Legolas was willing to accept such help. His son had shut himself away hours ago, and Thranduil was getting worried.

He sighed and passed a hand over his face as he thought about their current circumstances.

It had been two weeks since Legolas had returned with his patrol, and things had gone very much downhill from there. Two elves had been gravely wounded, and the others—including Legolas—had barely escaped with nothing more than benevolent scratches and injuries covering their bodies. Almost everyone had healed by now, but the two severely wounded elves hadn't been as lucky…

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><p><em>The king tried to keep a calm, and straight face as he hurried down the hall. He had been in his study when one of the healers came in with somber news. The second elf from Legolas' patrol had just lost his battle with his injuries, and was currently being greeted by Mandos in his halls. <em>

_This death was made all the worse due to the fact that not 12 hours earlier the other fatally wounded elf from Legolas' group had passed as well. The first death had sent Legolas into a downward spiral, hence the reason for Thranduil's rush. He was terribly worried about his son. _

_Finally the king reached his destination, but instead of immediately rushing into the healing room as he longed to do, Thranduil knocked gently. He received no answer, which in some ways was an answer in itself. His anxiety peaking, the king pushed open the door and the sight that immediately greeted him nearly smashed his heart to pieces._

_Legolas was sitting in a wooden chair, nearly bent in half, his chin resting heavily on his upturned palms. His blue eyes were staring lifelessly at the empty, and freshly made bed before him, where a fellow soldier once lay. The healers had obviously moved the vacant body somewhere else during the time in which he had been notified. The prince looked almost mesmerized by the pristine white sheets spread over the bed, but in truth he was watching the bed with such an avid stare due to his impossible wish that the elf who had once occupied it would no longer be dead. _

_The prince didn't even twitch when his father entered the room. Thranduil frowned at his son's lack of attention, but he didn't move from his position of standing just inside the doorway, for he didn't want to frighten Legolas. He studied his son for another moment before speaking._

"_Legolas…"_

_Thranduil sighed when Legolas remained as he was. He cautiously took a few steps towards the chair in which Legolas sat, but stopped before he got too close. He then called out to his son again._

"_Ion-nin, innas lle al-tiri na enni?" (My son, will you not look at me?)_

_This time Legolas very briefly flicked his gaze up towards his father, but only for a fraction of a second. However, this was all that the king needed. Knowing that he would longer frighten his son, Thranduil closed the remaining distance between them. He pulled up a chair beside the one Legolas was sitting in, and turned his gaze to the ashen face of his son._

_The king placed his palm against Legolas' cheek, and forced the younger elf to look away from the bed and towards him. It took a little convincing, but finally the prince made eye contact with his king. _

_The amount of sheer guilt in Legolas' eyes was enough to steal Thranduil's breath away. _

_The king frowned and stroked his thumb over Legolas' cheek bone a few times. This seemed to snap Legolas out of his trance, for he mechanically stood up from his perch, startling his father by doing so. After all, the prince had barely moved for several hours. _

_Legolas' gaze was pointedly being set anywhere other than his father's face as he asked, "Do you know where Súrion or Arminas are?" _

_Confused by the sudden and seemingly un-related question, it took Thranduil a moment to respond, but when he did, he could only answer in the negative. He shook his head saying, "No I'm sorry I don't" and stood up as well. He then placed a hand on Legolas' shoulder and squeezed gently._

"_Legolas, why are you in need of Súrion and Arminas?"_

_Legolas sucked in a deep breath, before letting it go heavily, and fixing his gaze on the floor. As he responded, he refused to meet his father's eye and his voice his barely above a murmur._

"_I would like to inform them of my decision to step down as captain. I am clearly not yet as ready for such responsibility as they believed me too be, and I have no business leading my people if I am only going to get them killed."_

_Thranduil's face fell in sorrow when he heard the defeat in Legolas' voice. Never before had he seen Legolas with so little self-confidence and strength. It was rare that Legolas appeared so vulnerable, and in this moment that the king saw Legolas for the child he truly was. _

_His compulsion as a father to comfort his offspring reaching a peak, Thranduil gripped Legolas' face with both hands on his son's cheeks, and bestowed a chaste kiss to Legolas' forehead._

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><p>From there Thranduil had suggested that Legolas return to his room and get some rest. At first Legolas had protested, but the king had managed to get his son to acquiesce to his request with time. However, what Thranduil hadn't counted on was Legolas refusing to leave his room, and reports from the guards of the royal wing saying that they had heard a ruckus coming from inside the prince's room.<p>

Taking a centering breath, the king finally pushed open the door. The first thing he saw was not his son, but instead a truly destroyed room. Thranduil raised an eyebrow as he took in the overturned desk, its contents spilling out onto the floor and the shattered mirror—due to what looked to be the imprint of a fist, or at least that is what the king assumed considering the patches of blood around said imprint. Not to mention the broken picture frames on the floor, and the large map of Mirkwood—Legolas had drawn up himself—barely hanging on to the left wall. _Hence the ruckus the guards heard_, thought Thranduil grimly.

Once he had taken in the trashed room, his sharp green eyes started scanning the area for his son. It only took him a moment or two before his eyes landed on a hunched figure on the balcony in the cool night air. Legolas sat with his back against the railing, knees drawn tightly up to his chest, with his arms wrapped around them. His face was pressed against the tops of his thighs, and his shoulders were shaking with quiet sobs.

The king felt his heart break in sadness, and he carefully closed the door so as not to surprise his son. However, even the small noise was enough to cause Legolas to flinch almost violently and lift his head just enough so that he could see over his folded arms. When he saw the figure of his father, he sniffed for a final time and rose to his feet, swaying all the while.

When the prince was finally standing tall, he and the king simply stared at each other for a moment of silence, before Thranduil rushed over and pulled Legolas to him. The younger blonde melted into the protective embrace and allowed his head to rest against the much broader chest before him. Almost immediately after that moment, the harsh sobbing started again as Legolas clutched at his father's tunic.

Feeling his child begin to shake again, Thranduil squeezed him tighter and brought one hand up to cradle the back of Legolas' head, his green eyes watching his son with sorrow.

"Oh Legolas…why do you torture yourself so?"

A much fiercer sob broke through trembling lips of the prince, before he violently flung himself away from his father, startling the elder. Legolas then practically screamed his response, tears streaming down his face.

"Because it is all my fault! I might as well have killed them myself! It was _my_ command that got them injured, _my_ strategy that cost them their lives! What I am feeling right now is nothing compared to the families _I _have destroyed! I cost mothers and fathers their sons, sisters their brother, wives their husbands, and children their fathers! What I have done to them is unforgivable!"

The prince's words hung heavy in the air for a few moments while Thranduil regarded his heaving chest, and tear streaked cheeks. Then with a tenderness only a loving father could possess, the king reached out and brushed the salty liquid from Legolas' skin, and tilted his son's face towards his own. The two made eye contact as Thranduil spoke, his voice raspy with emotion.

"You know as well as I, and every other elf in this kingdom that you would _never_ put your kin into a dangerous situation unless you believed it to be absolutely necessary. If your soldiers believed that your command was not sound do you think they would follow you? If they doubted your judgment or regard for their safety would they travel with you into the depths of this forest? They follow you, and put themselves at risk, because they trust you Legolas—as their prince and brother in arms—and know that you would do nothing less in their position."

Here the king paused, waiting for his words to sink in. When he continued, his tone was softer, but no less powerful.

"You are right, what has happened to those elves and their families is horrific, utterly devastating, and I would not wish it upon any save my most foul of enemies, but it was not done by your hand."

By now Legolas had quieted down, but his expression was still a study in guilt.

"…I should've spent more time studying our surroundings…maybe then I would've heard the second wave of orcs…"

"No Legolas," the king interrupted with force, "do not do that to yourself. Spending your days wishing for what could have been, or what you could have done will get you nowhere but grief and pain. It will not help you, and it will not help the families of those we lost. Their deaths were not the fault of your own hand, but those of the orcs who struck them down."

At this moment the king pulled away from his son and led him over to the bed, which was thankfully still intact.

"You need rest Legolas, you have exhausted yourself beyond your limits."

The prince obliged with his father's command and obediently sat down on the edge of the bed. His movements still lacked the grace they normally held, but the young elf seemed to be a little bit calmer.

His father silently crouched down to unlace Legolas' worn leather boots, sliding them off and setting them aside, before walking over to his son's closet and grabbing a clean pair of sleeping clothes. In a matter of moments Legolas was dressed and being pushed to lie down by the caring hands of the king. However, before the prince would finally lay down and sleep, his timid voice spoke up.

"How I am going to face them ada?" (father)

Understanding that Legolas was referring to both his remaining soldiers, and the families of the two that had passed, he sighed and leaned down to press a gentle kiss to the younger's forehead.

"I will not lie to you and say that it will be easy ion-nin. Grief is a difficult emotion, and those you speak of will be nearly drowning in it, but know that you will not be alone in your task. I will be by your side, and together we shall see this through." (my son)

With that Thranduil kissed Legolas' brow once more before extinguishing the two lit candles in the room. By the time he had moved back to the door to send his son one more parting wish, a melancholy smile found its way to his lips when he saw that the moment Legolas' head had touched the pillow he had fallen deeply asleep. So instead he settled for, "Maer-esta ion-nin. Aa'lle elei crom lle sîdh." (Good night my son. May your dreams give you peace.)

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><p><strong>Hope you enjoyed guys!<strong>


	6. Chapter 6: A Brush With Death

**Ahh! I'm so sorry that it has been a month guys. I never intended it to be that long. Life has been jam-packed recently, and unfortunately it is only going to get worse in the upcoming weeks. This also means that updating might need to take a back seat for a little while. But worry not! I swear to you my loyal readers, I will not abandon this story, and I will try to get it finished in as timely a manner possible. Thanks for being patient, enjoy!**

**3326freespirit: **Oh don't worry, there shall be plenty more Thranduil and Legolas fluff yet to come. As I said, I shall certainly continue, I just can't promise how quickly I will be able to do such.

**Legoelf: **That was what I was hoping for. I mean everybody loves a little angst here and there.

**Schattenjagd: **I feel that…I'm glad you thought it fitting, for I felt similarly. After all, what is one to do with such pent up emotion? Destroy everything! As for your question, both things you said are technically correct. The individual chapters (with the exception of chapter 4 and 5) do not come directly after one another. For example, between chapter 2 and chapter 3 a period of almost 100 years has passed. However, they are chronologically in order in terms of starting from Legolas' birth, and ending after the quest is over. Hope that answered your question!

**Hasslecastle: **Hmmm, I've never really thought about it but I guess you're right. There should be more vulnerable Legolas stories out there…I'm glad you enjoyed my writing, and thank you!

**Guest: **Why thank you, kind reader!

**Guest 2: **That is very sweet of you to say, thank you. Well, you can't have everything be happy all the time. Otherwise life would be rather boring, and so would this story!

**UnfathomableEnigma: **Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the sad parts as well as the happy parts, and I'm happy that I've managed to capture your interest.

**Guest 3: **Yay! I'm so glad you liked the chapter so much. Personally I've always thought that Thranduil would be the loving father type. I didn't like how detached they made him in the Hobbit movies (but I utterly adore Lee Pace, and thought he did an absolutely wonderful job with the character), and I thought that they needed more of the father/son relationship, because there was really only that one scene at the end of BotFA. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the upcoming chapters as much as you have enjoyed the ones I've posted thus far.

**LINE BREAK**

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><p><em>Chapter 6: A Brush With Death<em>

King Thranduil of Mirkwood had been sitting in his chambers, and was just about to pour himself a sizeable glass of wine after a tiring day, when a frantic guard burst through the door. Thranduil nearly jumped a foot at the startling entrance, and he would have reprimanded the elf for his rudeness if it hadn't been for the panicked expression on the guard's face. Now struck with a grim curiosity, the king bade the elf to explain himself quickly.

The guard nodded, and began an explanation.

"Please forgive me for disturbing you in such a rude manner my king, but I was sent to find you with the utmost haste by several of the soldiers serving under Prince Legolas."

At this the king paled, fists clenching at his sides in an anxious manner. When he spoke, Thranduil's voice shook almost unperceivably.

"They have returned? Why were you sent to me with such haste?!"

When the other elf flinched at his harsh tone, Thranduil felt a pang of regret. He hadn't intended to shout, but he had a dark feeling that the soldier was the bearer of ill news. However, when the soldier paused before continuing, the king's voice rose again.

"Speak quickly!"

The now flustered guard dipped his head in apology before answering his king.

"Once again, please forgive me my king. I was sent to find you in order to inform you that Prince Legolas has been injured and-"

The soldier was cut off when the king surged forward, pushing passed the him to reach the door. Thranduil was vaguely aware of the guard calling out to him from behind, but he paid the desperate voice no heed as he gradually increased his pace, mind racing.

His son was hurt, and from the panic the soldier had exhibited, it was serious. He felt his pulse racing as his imagination filled his mind's eye with possibilities. His breath caught in his throat as he saw image after image of Legolas laying bloodied on the ground…Legolas's blue eyes open and staring lifelessly ahead, cloudy with death…Legolas writhing in pain from injuries covering his body, his normally pale skin stained red with blood.

The king gasped and shook his head as he continued to run towards the healing ward, desperately trying to push away such horrific thoughts. He refused to allow himself to assume the worst before he saw Legolas's condition for himself.

It seemed as though he had been running for hours before the king finally stopped at the sound of shouting healers coming from behind the door of one of the healing rooms.

"Put more pressure here! Yes, just like that."

"You! Hold him down, I can't have him moving right now, and this is going to be painful."

At that the king felt nauseous, and he swiftly pushed the door open. He walked in just in time to see several healers pressing down of Legolas's shoulders, while another pressed a glowing hot knife against a gaping wound in his side. The second the hot metal touched the prince's flesh to cauterize the wound, Legolas's eyes flew open, and a blood-curdling shriek left his bloodless lips. His broken body tried desperately to arch off the bed and away from the pain, but the multiple healers holding Legolas down kept him from doing so.

Thranduil watched with numbing horror as tears started streaming down Legolas' face from the pain, and his son continued to scream.

It seemed like an eternity had passed before the healer finally lifted the knife and instructed the others, who had been holding the prince down, to get started on other tasks. It was at this moment that the king finally took a few tentative steps towards the bed his son was occupying. However, before he could reach Legolas, one of the many healers in the room stopped him and tried to push the king back.

"Please, my king. You do not need to see him like this."

Thranduil looked incredulously at the young elf, before his lost expression rapidly morphed into burning rage. The elf shrunk away with wide eyes at the force of the king's ire, and he would have undergone an intense brow-beating if it weren't for the head healer's intervention. He stepped up the king and lay a gentle, yet firm, hand on Thranduil's shoulder.

"My king, I assure you that we mean no disrespect. However, if you are to stay in here, I am going to ask that you remain a safe distance away from the prince. Please, we do not seek to keep you away from your son, but Prince Legolas has been grievously injured, and we are in need of space to work."

The anger in Thranduil's eyes was immediately flushed out at this and he glanced at the pallid form on the bed one more time, before nodding. He moved to stand at the far side of the room, and the healer smiled thankfully at him, before returning to his king was left alone to watch as the healers' scrambled to save his son, who he could finally see in totality. However, at the sight of the prince's body, his stomach started doing somersaults.

Legolas was deathly pale, his blue eyes closed tight from pain. Blood—both orcish and his own—was splattered across his high cheekbones, along his neck, and what the king could see of his arms and chest. One of the elf's shoulders was bent at an awkward angle, which a healer was currently tending to, and his opposite wrist had already been bandaged.

However, the worst injury by far, and the one that made the king pale, was the gash running from the top of the left section of the prince's ribcage, down across his stomach, before ending at his right side. The wound has nearly eviscerated the prince, and through the many healers' hands, bandages, and blood, the king could see shredded tissue and muscle. It was a truly gruesome sight.

The king watched as a healer once again reached for the knife he used earlier to cauterize the portion of the gash on Legolas's right side. But when the blade was thrust into the fireplace across the room, the king tightly closed his eyes. He cared not if this made him look cowardly, for Thranduil didn't think he could stomach watching his only child suffer so much pain again.

Several moments passed before Legolas's screams split the air again. This time they lasted for only a minute before they were cut off by a sob, and a broken plea.

Hearing the word 'ada' leave his son's lips in such a desolate manner shattered Thranduil's heart, and forced him to open his eyes. They widened when he saw that Legolas was awake, and weakly reaching out towards him. Feeling numb, the king allowed his feet to carry him over to his son's bedside, pushing by objecting healers, until he was able to grasp Legolas's frail hand in his own.

The prince's skin was clammy, and frozen to the touch. The king frowned at the icy quality and began rubbing Legolas's hand gently between his own, hoping to generate some heat. The action also gave Thranduil something to do that hid how badly his hands were shaking. In return, Legolas instinctively gripped the king's hand as hard as he could, using the soothing touch to anchor himself to what was going on outside the haze of pain surrounding him.

The extreme blood loss had manifested itself clearly through the near translucence of the already pale skin of Legolas's face, chest, and neck. All color he might have had was gone, leaving his skin the same color as the sheets he was lying on. He looked more dead than alive, which increased the stress on Thranduil's already pounding heart.

"Ada…" (father)

Legolas's voice was terribly weak, and Thranduil had to strain to hear it. His son was in need of reassurance and comfort. After all, this was the first time that Legolas was suffering through extreme pain and injury. Before this, the prince had never dealt with much more than small scratches and cuts. There had been a spider bite or two, but none of those had been particularly life-threatening. This prompted the king to put on the most convincing smile he could, and lean closer to his son.

"Focus not on the pain ion-nin, look to me instead. I know it is hard to imagine now, but soon you are going to be back on your feet, wandering among the trees." (my son)

Yet, when Legolas cringed, and the healers once again started to panic, the king began having trouble believing his own words.

* * *

><p>The healing ward of King Thranduil's fortress was near silent. It wasn't a peaceful quiet, it was oppressive and melancholy, for it had been born from worry and grief. Mirkwood's prince had yet to wake from his injury borne bout of unconsciousness.<p>

It had been almost a day and a half since Legolas returned to the palace, barely breathing, and the outlook was grim. The only way to staunch the massive bleeding caused by the prince's wound, was extensive cauterization. It saved the elf's life in the short term, but it brought about subsequent infection. Fever now ran rampant throughout the prince's system, weakening his already compromised body, and the healers were beginning to worry that if Legolas didn't wake up soon, he wasn't going to wake up at all.

This was the terrible news the healers had to give the king, who refused to leave his son's side. Such news obviously did not go over well, leaving the king in near shambles. He was left alone with his grief and his comatose son, feeling like the world was crashing down around him. The thought that these might be the last moments he had with his son was crushing the king into the ground.

He sniffed, feeling the threat of tears, and glanced up at the pallid face of his son. It wasn't long before he lost the battle with his emotions, and the tears fell.

"You've gotten yourself into quite a bit of trouble this time ion-nin." The king had a bitter, remorseful smile on his face as he spoke. "The healers aren't…they aren't hopeful, but I want you to know, that I will never give up on you. I will be right here, waiting for you to wake up, not matter how long it takes you to do so." (my son)

Thranduil's tears were pouring down his face at this point, and it was getting more difficult to talk.

"If this is however, the l-last time that you are going to be here with me, I need you to know just how much I love you." Here the king's voice broke and he took a moment to collect himself before continuing. "I need you to know that I am proud to be your father. Do you hear me Legolas? You have made me so very proud."

This was when the king could go no further. He bowed his head in sadness, and his shoulders began to shake. He wasn't sure he could handle another death in the family. The king had barely made it through the loss of his queen, Legolas being his reason for going on. If Legolas was gone, what would be left?

"I can't lose you Legolas, I-I don't think I will be able to survive with you gone. Saes tithen-lass-nin, auta n'enni." (please my little leaf, leave me not.)

"I t-thought you s-said you…you w-weren't giving up...up on me."

At this the king froze, and his heart stilled in his chest. He didn't dare breathe for fear that he had simply imagined the voice of his son.

"Ada, saes…" (father, please)

This time the king immediately lifted his head, and found himself looking into Legolas's blue gaze. When the tears started falling anew, they were accompanied by a watery smile, for emotion was running high within the king as he lifted a shaking hand to rest on Legolas's cheek.

"Legolas, ion-nin…" (my son)

In this moment, all of the uncertainty and stress, which had built up within the king, caused Thranduil to lunge forward, wrapping his arms around his son's thin frame. Thankfully he had the sense to be mindful of Legolas's wounds, so the prince experienced minimal pain at the contact.

Shaking with relief, the king pressed his lips against the prince's forehead in a chaste kiss, and murmured through his tears.

"I could never give up on you."

* * *

><p>Thranduil watched the reunion occurring on the training grounds before him with a smile. He leaned against the nearest stone pillar, his arms crossed gently over his chest. He had ended his council meeting a little early so he could witness Legolas's release from the healing ward, and subsequent return to his comrades. The king's smile dimmed a little as he thought on the past few months leading up to such return.<p>

It had been a long recovery process for his son. After his initial awakening, Legolas had remained in and out of consciousness for almost two months. The infection had been vicious, but eventually his fever had finally broken, leaving Legolas weak and close to death. Over the next month Legolas had been completely bedridden, much to his chagrin.

During this time the prince slowly regained his strength until the healers allowed him minimum movement within his room. This included the exciting adventure of walking to the balcony, and the adjoining sitting room, but not without aid of course.

Functioning at such a slow pace had been particularly difficult for Legolas, and that was why it had nearly killed him when the healers had subsequently sentenced him to another few weeks in the healing ward.

Thranduil smiled as he remembered his son's melodramatic attitude about the whole ordeal. However, even Legolas could not dispute that each and every day within the healing ward had been necessary. Even now, the prince was still rather pale, and his full physical strength had yet to return.

_But he is alive_…thought the king with relief.

"Yes, most certainly alive," repeated Thranduil with a small chuckle as he watched Legolas's comrades sweep the prince up into their arms, and onto their shoulders, Legolas laughing the entire time.

Satisfied that his son was well taken care of, the king turned on his heel, and headed back into the palace. His smile widened as the sound of Legolas's merry laughter reached him, following his retreating figure through the halls.


End file.
